Route Description
Starting at Kirkmichael Village Shop, the route follows the Cateran Trail out of the village, crossing the River Ardle before continuing along gravel tracks beside its banks to a former curling pond. The trail then leads on to Enochdhu, the last small settlement before the Spittal of Glenshee.
Continuing on the well-signposted Cateran Trail, the route passes Dirnanean Garden, a Highland garden with a traditional layout of lawn, shrubbery and walled garden, before climbing gradually through a mix of woodland and open ground to the Upper Lunch Hut. This simple shelter has a close connection to Queen Victoria. From here to An Lairig, the highest point of the route, progress becomes more difficult and you should be prepared to push the bike. The reward is well worth the effort, with magnificent views into the Spittal of Glenshee and across to the peaks of the Cairngorms, followed by an equally enjoyable descent.
At the Spittal of Glenshee, you’ll find a small church, a standing stone and a fine bridge built by Major William Caulfeild. Gulabin Lodge runs a café during the main season at weekends, offering a welcome stop.
From the Spittal, the route continues along the Cateran Trail towards Diarmuid’s Tomb, which lies slightly off the trail on a small hill and is best reached on foot. The trail then leads through Glenshee on a varied mix of tracks, with one stile to negotiate along the way. Passing the privately owned Dalnaglar Castle, the route joins the B951.
A short detour leads to the site of Pitcarmick House, before the route continues on a quiet road alongside the Black Water to Blacklunans. A brief stretch on the A93 follows, before turning onto the B950 for the return to Kirkmichael. Along the way, you’ll pass a self-service cake shed, while Kirkmichael Village Shop provides a final opportunity for coffee and food.
Navigation
Difficulty
Challenging
58% off-road
Points to visit
Along the way you will find these points of interest:
Kirkmichael Village
The ancient heart of Strathardle Glen. Located in Strathardle, 13 miles north-west of Blairgowrie, Kirkmichael village dates back over 1,000 years and was once an important market in the cattle trade between the Highlands and Lowlands, with various...
Read more - "Kirkmichael Village"Duff Memorial Church
A memorial to Scotland’s first missionary to India. Born in the parish of Moulin in 1806, Alexander Duff was first educated in what is now the Kirkmichael Session House. He boarded with the brilliant teacher Mr Macdougall, returning home to...
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Old Curling Pond, Wester Tullochcurran
Site of one of Scotland’s favourite winter pastimes. Curling is a team sport played by two teams of four players on a rectangular sheet of ice. Its nickname, “The Roaring Game”, originates from the rumbling sound the granite stones make when...
Read more - "Old Curling Pond, Wester Tullochcurran"Dirnanean Garden
A Highland garden managed to encourage wildlife and wild flowers. The garden around the house is a traditional arrangement of lawn, shrubbery and walled garden. The garden is undergoing long term restoration and rediscovery. The tour of the garden...
Read more - "Dirnanean Garden"The Lunch Hut, Dirnanean
A shelter for walkers with an intriguing connection to Queen Victoria. The Lunch hut was built about 1950; it was built for driven grouse shooting with two compartments; one for the guns and one for the beaters. More recently it has been made...
Read more - "The Lunch Hut, Dirnanean"Caulfeild’s Military Bridge
The military story behind some of Scotland’s roads. Major William Caulfeild, the British government’s Inspector of Roads from 1732 to 1767, was responsible for building new roads and bridges in the Highlands of Scotland, the aim of...
Read more - "Caulfeild’s Military Bridge"Glenshee Kirk
A traditional Parish Church built on the site of an old standing stone. Glenshee Kirk is built on the site of a late Neolithic, early Bronze Age (c 3,000 – c 2,100 BC) standing stone, which can still be seen behind the Church. It is a good...
Read more - "Glenshee Kirk"Diarmuid’s Tomb
One of many legends in Glenshee connected to Finn mac Cumhaill. Dhiarmaid or Diarmuid O’Duibne (“of the bright face”) was one of the legendary Finn mac Cumhaill’s most trusted warriors. It is said that he is buried in this mound and that...
Read more - "Diarmuid’s Tomb"Pitcarmick House
Remains of a Pictish home. Careful scrutiny of the very tussocky ground on this site still reveals the outline of a Pictish Longhouse called a Pitcarmick House. Archaeologists surveying North East Perthshire in the 1980’s identified a series of...
Read more - "Pitcarmick House"James Small Monument
Memorial to a prominent local man. James Small was an important 19th century Scottish Laird from Kirkmichael. As well as the local estate of Dirnanean, Mr Small owned as much as 20,000 acres of land in the surrounding area and played a prominent...
Read more - "James Small Monument"Kirkmichael Kirk
A forgotten corner linked to the Black Death. There is a corner of Kirkmichael Parish churchyard where, despite the lack of space, there are no marked graves. This is because in 1350 AD, a terrible plague, the Galor Mor, better known as the Black...
Read more - "Kirkmichael Kirk"The Minister’s Well
An ancient well. The old roadside water well opposite the church is fed by an underground spring which never runs dry. The ice cold water has an excellent clean sharp taste and is completely drinkable.
Read more - "The Minister’s Well"The Bannerfield
An important site in the 1715 Jacobite Rising. A large area of open ground on the west bank of the River Ardle, just south of the Kirkmichael village, is known as the Bannerfield. It was here in September 1715 that John Erskine, 6th Earl of Mar...
Read more - "The Bannerfield"
